lambada

[ lahm-bah-duh, ‑dah ]

noun

, plural lam·ba·das.

1. a Brazilian ballroom dance for couples, with gyrating movements and close interlocking of the partners.
2. music for this dance.

lambada

/ læmˈbɑːdə /

noun

1. an erotic dance, originating in Brazil, performed by two people who hold each other closely and gyrate their hips in synchronized movements
2. the music that accompanies the lambada, combining salsa, calypso, and reggae

Word History and Origins

Origin of lambada¹

1985–90; < Brazilian Portuguese; Portuguese: a whipping, equivalent to lamb ( ar ) to whip, lash + -ada -ade ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of lambada¹

C20: from Portuguese, literally: the snapping of a whip

Example Sentences

He is a fan of zouk lambada, a Brazilian dance, and as a new lawmaker he would sometimes leave Parliament at 10 p.m. to head to a club, where he would remove his jacket and formal shirt and take to the floor in a T-shirt that he wore beneath.

From New York Times

Lambada Legal, which helped bring the lawsuit against Texas on behalf of the parents of the 16-year-old girl, called the decision a win because it put the state’s investigation into their family on hold.

From Seattle Times

Although the ruling does not prevent Texas from launching investigations into other families, the state would be foolish to do so now because those families could also seek an injunction, said Omar Gonzalez-Paden, counsel and health care strategist for Lambada Legal.

From Seattle Times

It has also labeled two variants as ones of interest: Lambada and Mu.

From Slate

It’s either a sequel to Shakespeare’s “Richard III” or to “Lambada: The Forbidden Dance.”

From Salon